IN A
Bottle
in celebration of
Bold by Veuve Clicquot
Introduction
If you could bottle courage, bravery and fortitude, it would be Champagne-shaped and adorned in sunshine hues. In fact, for one iconic Maison this sentiment is their legacy. Veuve Clicquot’s story is one of daring entrepreneurial spirit. In 1805, at only 27, Madame Clicquot took the reins of the Maison after the death of her husband, at a time when women could neither work nor hold a bank account, unless they were a widow.
Before earning the respected title of ‘Grande Dame of Champagne’, she had to face countless obstacles. A bold woman with big dreams, she dreamt for her Maison to transcend borders. And the rest, as they say, is history. Inspired by its audacious origins, in 1972 the Maison fortified its support for women entrepreneurs by launching an international award: Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot. In 2014, the Maison created the Bold Future Award, designed to celebrate women leaders whose business started less than 3 years ago.
Bold by Veuve Clicquot is a program designed to help improve inclusion, impact, and visibility. Built through key events across the world all year long, such as the Bold Woman Award but also mentoring sessions and inspiring conversations, Bold by Veuve Clicquot supports women entrepreneurs and gives them a voice, encouraging future generations to be even more audacious.
The Bold Woman Award showcases and rewards women entrepreneurs who, thanks to their talent, strength, and personality, have built, taken over or developed a business. Over 450 women in 27 countries have been honored by these Awards, and the 2022 winners are role models in the truest sense.
Affiong Williams
Affiong Williams, founder and CEO of ReelFruit, the largest fruit processing, packaging and marketing company in Nigeria, has boldness at the core of her story. Leaving a comfortable job in South Africa to break new ground in Nigeria, Affiong became a pioneer in a previously untouched sector.
What advice would you give aspiring female entrepreneurs?
“My key piece of advice would be to surround yourself with a network of people who keep you accountable, who make you want to do better, and who encourage you to learn. Keep seeking knowledge, knowledge is so powerful in today’s world. If you can get the knowledge that prevents you from making mistakes, that can be more valuable than money.”
How do you hope to inspire other women in business?
“I hope to inspire them by being a success and I think that goes a long way to demonstrate what can be possible. I want to inspire women to believe that what I achieved can be done and also share the knowledge I built to help them get there faster.”
Sharmadean Reid
UK winner Sharmadean Reid MBE, founder of The Stack World, a global community of thousands of mission-driven women, is known for her drive to empower and connect women through technology and media.
What has been the most audacious moment of your career so far?
“Fundraising was the most audacious moment of my career because there hadn't been many black women that had raised venture capital in the UK. You have to carry this confidence, which leads to audacity. There have been many audacious moments in my career because I don't feel held back by whatever I'm doing right now. And I'm sure there'll be lots more.”
What would you like your legacy to be?
“I’d like my legacy to be that in some small way I move the needle on gender equality. That is the most important thing for me. And really that starts with ideology - helping women understand their power and to build their independence and their autonomy.”
Véra Kempf
Véra Kempf cofounded Singulart in 2016, an online art gallery and resource to help connect artists to interested buyers across borders. Driven by the desire to create a positive social impact, Véra’s entrepreneurial passion was sparked whilst working at the Chamber of Commerce in Pointe-Noire (Congo Brazzaville).
What support do you think budding women entrepreneurs need the most?
Definitely raising funds for your business. Depending on your personal situation, you might not be able to have the money in the bank account to allow you to take the risk. This is very often the reason why women are postponing projects. Financing businesses of female founders is super important.
How do you hope to inspire other women in business?
When I won the award, I cried in front of 600 people. I felt so bad afterwards thinking “this is so feminine, such a stereotype”, but then so many women thanked me for showing emotion as it proves we can do great business and express ourselves. So it's not me saying this, but that's what people told me!
Five decades after the first Bold by Veuve Clicquot award, the Maison is proudly celebrating 250 years of business in the way Madame Clicquot would have cherished - by raising a glass to audacious women all over the world.